Record-breaking Harry Kane scored his fourth hat-trick of the Bundesliga season as Bayern Munich hammered Mainz 8-1.

Kane’s move to Bayern looks set to coincide with the first time in 12 years they will not win the title, but he is breaking all sorts of individual records.

Another treble saw him take his tally to 30 league goals for the season, with Robert Lewandowski’s seasonal record of 41 under severe threat with nine games to go.

Four hat-tricks is a record in a debut Bundesliga season and reaching 30 means he is just the second-ever player to reach that tally in his debut season, with Uwe Seeler also doing it in the league’s inaugural season in 1963-64.

Leon Goretzka (two), Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, who Kane assisted with an outrageous crossfield pass, and Serge Gnabry also scored as Bayern cut the gap to seven points on leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who have a game in hand.

Kane’s goals have not been able to keep Bayern on the coat-tails of Leverkusen, who had opened up a huge lead at the top of the table.

But the England captain cannot stop scoring and he needed just 13 minutes to open his account when he converted from Musiala’s pass.

Six minutes later Goretzka made it two as he bundled home a rebound after Kane’s header glanced the post.

Kane looked primed to have a chance to add another from 12 yards after they were awarded a penalty for handball, but VAR overturned the decision – and then Mainz got themselves back into the game when Nadiem Amiri rifled home from 25 yards.

But Bayern were in no mood to drop more points and put their visitors to the sword.

Former Tottenham striker Kane made it 3-1 in first-half injury time with a brilliant finish, superbly controlling Goretzka’s cross and firing home.

Muller got in on the act two minutes after the restart as he tapped home Musiala’s cross before the 21-year-old got on the scoresheet himself just after the hour.

He had Kane to thank, though, for delivering a brilliant arching ball that sent him clear and he did the rest.

Gnabry joined in the fun five minutes later with a mesmerising finish, flicking home Goretzka’s cross with his back to goal.

Kane added another match ball to his collection when he got on the end of Eric Dier’s header at the far post to create history.

Goretzka completed a good afternoon’s work in added time as he headed home Joshua Kimmich’s cross.

German football great Uwe Seeler has died at the age of 85.

Seeler spent his 19-year playing career, spanning from 1953 to 1972, with Hamburg and is considered the greatest player in the German club's history.

He also earned 72 caps for West Germany and played in their 1966 World Cup final defeat to England.

The news of Seeler's death was confirmed by Hamburg, where he also worked as president for three years in the 1990s, in a statement on their official website.

"Uwe stands for everything that characterises a good person: down-to-earthness, loyalty, joie de vivre, plus he was always approachable," said HSV board member Jonas Boldt.

"He is the epitome of HSV. I personally have special memories of our get-together on his last birthday. He talked shop, asked about his HSV, gave me tips and a few sayings.

"We will never forget him and will always cherish him. Now our thoughts and sympathy go out to Uwe's family, to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences."

Seeler scored 507 goals in 587 competitive matches for Hamburg, the club said, and he was made an honorary citizen of the city in 2003.

He was crowned German footballer of the year in 1959-1960, 1963-1964 and 1969-1970, while also winning the German top-flight title in the first of those campaigns.

One of four players to have scored at four separate World Cups, along with Pele, Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo, Seeler became just the second honorary captain of the German national team in 1972.

The German Football Association (DFB) paid tribute to the striker, who Hamburg said was survived by wife Ilka as well as three daughters and seven grandchildren. 

"Rest in peace Uwe Seeler," the DFB tweeted. "Our honorary captain passed away at the age of 85. Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to his family and loved ones."